Granted, March is lighter in festival offerings than other months. It’s a tough time of year—it might be 60 degrees outside, and it might be -30. Nevertheless, the month of March has a much-beloved annual holiday celebrating a famous saint who drove hated critters out of his homeland. Oh, and there’s St. Patrick’s Day, too.
Twin Cities
St. Patrick’s Day festivities
March 11-17
We do love us some Irish whooping it up in the Twin Cities. Why wait for the 17th?
March 11, Mancini’s hosts the Worst Irish Tenor contest.
March 12, Miss Shamrock is crowned at O’Gara’s.
March 17, St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Paul at noon; in Minneapolis, the parade starts at 6:30 p.m.
And, to make your St. Patty’s Day celebration even better, Metro Transit (along with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Plymouth Metrolink) is offering free bus rides from 6 p.m. and later on 3/17. Drink all the green beer you want, and keep yourself and others safe.
Houston
International Festival of Owls
March 6-8
Owl calling, nest box building, foreign and native owl exhibits and discussions, pellet examinations, birding and natural history trip, pizza parties, kids’ activities—who knew owls could be so much fun?
Plymouth
March 6-8
Forget the cold outdoors. Warm up with lively bluegrass stage shows, instrument exhibits, dance workshops, even informal jam sessions.
Burnsville
March 7
Get your team of four (18 and over, please) and take part in mattress racing down the tube hill at Buck Hill (mattresses provided). Dress up—there’s a costume contest. And a concert. The best part: proceeds go to Bridging, a local nonprofit that provides home goods (including beds) to families in need.
Red Wing
March 7-8
Colvill Park will have scopes and volunteers available to answer questions and help visitors spot eagles.
Wabasha
March 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29
The National Eagle Center hosts these four weekends of everything eagle: river tours, book signings, visits from the Raptor Center, talks from American Indians, naturalists, nature photographers, naturalists, veterans, river boat captains, speakers from the DNR Fisheries and River Ecology departments, and master falconers.
Moorhead
March 14
A day of all things Celtic at the Hjemkomst Center. Music, dancing, activity booths, traditional foods, presentations on folk traditions, and bagpipes.
Finland
March 14
A festival celebrating a faux saint, said to have driven all the grasshoppers out of Finland (the country) and saved the grape crops, thus preserving the jobs of vineyard workers. Suspiciously, the official St. Urho’s Day is actually March 16, the day before that other saint’s day.
Bloomington
March 15
Do I really have to explain this one? The name says it all.
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